The Car'a'carn
by Brytanie
Summary: Mandein was there when Rand revealed the truth about the Aiel. He was there when two men were marked for prophecy and water fell from the sky. This is the story retold from the perspective of an Aielman.


Feedback would be appreciated. Enjoy :).

* * *

Mandein stood with his sept, Jhirad of the Goshien Aiel. His spear was lifted in the air, as he shouted his defiance. This wetlander, first claiming the title of _Car'a'carn, _had now revealed that the Aiel had once been the same as the Lost Ones, impossible to imagine. And yet... he could see the clan chiefs' faces, and their silent stares watching the wetlander. A sliver of doubt slipped into his mind, and he fell silent. Was it possible? The men around them were still shouting in favour of Couladin. But that man had little honour, entering Rhuidean without permission of the Wise Ones. Mandein's face showed a troubled frown.

"Rand Al'thor," the voice of Bael struck through the madness. Here was the voice of Mandein's own clan chief, a voice he would follow to death. The truth would be revealed now. "is the _Car'a'carn_. Rand Al'thor is He Who Comes With the Dawn." Mandein finally lowered his spear from the air. The wetlander was telling the truth. His hands trembled in disbelief. The Aiel were a remnant of the Lost Ones.

Everything inside Mandein tried to deny it. He was a warrior! But each clan chief further affirmed that Rand Al'thor was He Who Comes With the Dawn.

As the last clan chief, Rhuarc, spoke, there was a moment of silence. It lasted a mere second, as the rage and denial grew to tumultuous levels. Suddenly, Mandein was thrown into an uproar of movement and violence. Spears flashed, and Mandein saw two men fall. Couladin made a lunge for Rand. Strangely, Mandein felt an urge to push the Aiel in front of him out of the way to prevent the spear from harming the wetlander. His life was tied to him now. The _Car'a'carn_.

Mandein was able to catch the sudden movement of a Shaarad Aiel before a spear was thrust at him. He bat it away with his own, catching the other Aielman off guard. He had just enough time to raise his veil before the Aielman was on him again. He could feel others of his sept fighting around him, and the man quickly fell. The tension seemed to thicken physically, boiling over.

Mandein was shoved hard from behind, and he fought to stay at his feet. It was difficult to recognize anyone with such utter chaos surrounding him. He could barely hear anything with each man and woman screaming at the top of their lungs. Each Aiel was feeling the keen sense of pain inside, Mandein knew, denying what the wetlander had said. He also knew that many of them would not be strong enough to continue on with such knowledge.

Suddenly, a bright flash crackled overhead. The wind suddenly picked up at a howling pace, drowning out the shouts of the Aiel. Mandein could feel something gathering, the wind adding to the tension as it ripped around him. It became difficult to see anything at all. Many men around him were still trying to fight against the truth, not noticing the snapping brightness still flashing in the sky. He looked up to the clan chiefs. They were shouting in vain, trying to calm the Aiel. The wetlander stood still, not making any movement. Mandein couldn't see his expression.

The violence became fiercer, the noise building up with the weather. Inexplicably, Mandein felt drops of water hitting his face. Disbelieving, he looked up to the sky. Water was falling! Every Aielman around him stared up in shock to the sky, their spears and battles forgotten. The water fell in heavier drops now, hiding everything outside fifty paces. The wind still whirled around Alcair Dal, and bright flashes lit up every Aiel's face. Mandein could see nothing except the darkness of the water that fell from the sky. Shock and disbelief still rolled through him, first from the words of the wetlander and then from the most precious thing in the world falling from the sky in torrents. Mandein felt like a doll as he was thrown around by the wind and water.

A bass rumbling from the sky drowned out any other noise. The sky was thick with angry clouds, and the water continued to fall heavily, turning the parched ground into mud. His clothes were thoroughly drenched, his hair plastered to his face. It was difficult to keep his eyes open.

The weather finally started to diminish, after had what seemed an eternity. The setting sun shined through the breaking clouds in tentative rays. Around him, Aiel were moving. Mandein wasn't surprised to see spears lying on the ground. Even now, Aiel were throwing down their weapons and turning their backs on them, some even running away_. _The Shaido left as one, Couladin and Sevanna at the head, still yelling indistinctly to any who would listen. More Aiel left with them, leaving behind the cold truth that surrounded those who stayed. Perhaps a fourth of the Aiel who had gathered had left in the end.

"All who remain," Rhuarc spoke from the ledge, his words carrying perfectly in the dead silence. "Do you acknowledge Rand Al'thor as the _Car'a'carn?"_

Barely a whisper of sound passed over the Aiel, but Mandein could see the acceptance in their grim faces. He nodded to Rhuarc. There was no doubt in his mind who the real man of prophecy was. He would rather follow a wetlander a thousand times than an honourless dog like Couladin. The Shaido could have their false leader. Rhuarc seemed pleased with the reaction, and said only, "He will return," before becoming silent.

Silence reigned completely over the remaining Aiel. The ground was still wet and muddy from the water. Mandein could feel the chill of night setting in, stinging his soaked skin. He didn't move or shiver. Every Aiel continued to wait in silence for the wetlander.

The clan chiefs' faces were grim, Mandein could see. He wondered how they could keep such a terrible truth locked inside themselves for so long. They were all men of honour, he thought, and deserved their places as clan chief. He now understood why only one in every three men returned from Rhuidean, and why some were refused altogether.

Suddenly, a slash of light appeared on the ledge, stretching into what looked like a doorway. Rand Al'thor stepped out, followed by a tattered looking man that Mandein recognized to be a part of the peddler group. How they had gotten here was unfathomable, but after a day of devastation and shock, Mandein did not even begin to wonder.

He could vaguely hear the sound of voices as his fellow wetlanders questioned him. The clan chiefs still showed little emotion on their grim faces while they talked with Rand Al'thor. Still standing on the ledge, their voices carried. Mandein heard them speaking of the Aiel who had left, leaving their spears and honour behind. He looked around him. He could see the shaken expressions on every face, but the Aiel still watched silently, ready to follow the wetlander, ready to accept him as the _Car'a'carn. _

The wetlander began to make his way back across Alcair Dal. The Aiel parted way, silently watching as the man of prophecy rode between them. This man will wake many of us from the dream, Mandein thought. Every Aiel knew it, but still they would follow him. Follow him until they could no more. The sun slowly began to sink beyond the horizon, and the coldness of night set in.


End file.
